DFI EXCLUSIVE FROM JOHNY_BABA, YOU WON'T GET THIS INFO FROM ANYWHERE!
So, do you guys know that there existed a very special "export" variant of INSAS ?!
i mean everybody knows we exported INSAS to Oman, Nepal, Swaziland etc but from all the very limited pics i've seen of these exported INSAs, they all seemed like typical 1B//1B1 pattern ones that we're also using here in our armed forces and so,
BUT BUT WAIT, as i said, there DID exist a special export variant of INSAS, yes,
aannndd it looked like...
...
...
somewhat like,
this,
...you guys must be thinking like, eh ?
but notice the handguards here, goes full length upto the gas block, and seems pinned down to front iron sight post (very Excalibur like), oh and notice front iron sight post, it's fully hooded one like that's there on chinese Type-56 and no top handguard cover above gas tube...
...hhmm but this matchbox sized pic...what to even conclude from it ?
...well i happen to have another...graphic of it ?
...so apart from things mentioned above, notice four white ;dots; around the fire selector, denoting four separate fire mods on it that must have been Safe-Semi-3 round burst and Full Auto...
furthermore, this is what the author had to say about it from where i got it,
Source = Jane's Infantry Weapons, 2000 edition,
Author = Terence "Terry" J. Gander
Now, some of my own comments - hypothesis etc,
first of all it would be really silly to even say anything from such matchbox sized pics and some lame kwality graphic and so, but being into guns things and so i could try to think some things,
> I believe this variant didn't have gas cut-off switch on it plus was not meant to launch rifle grenades from it (besides rifle grenades and things were already becoming outdated sort of things due to emergence of underbarrel grenade launchers and such things), alebit they still used same 'long pattern' muzzle device on it with probably gas rings as well so if someone had tried it back then he could've launched rifle grenades off that variant i believe, albeit with also cycling the weapon due to lack of gas cut-off
> long handguards hhmm, probably also of slimmer profile, this seems overall better idea than current INSAS pattern handguards to be honest, also the shape of handguards make me think if it was designed based on L1A1 SLR's handguards in mind or what...i mean just look at it
similar long profile, affixed with gas block at front (here screwed upon instead of using cross-pin) and has long circular-rectangular cutouts as probably air vents, on INSAS Export variant those cutouts are kinda front ahead and are 4 on each sides plus the remaining part has straight line patterned grip-design in remaining parts hhmm
> front iron sight block is of hooded one type with hole in centre for adjustments, very reminiscent to chinese Type 56's iron sight block, something like this
> rest as i mentioned before, seems like having Safe-Semi-3 round burst-Full Auto thus 4 positions on fire selectors as evident from that graphic around fire selector part
Sooo...What happened to this variant ? Did anybody adopted it ? Oman ? Swaziland ? Nepal ?
My best hypothesis regd it is,
This "INSAS Export variant" later became "INSAS Assault Rifle"...
DO NOTE that what i am saying here is NOT 1B1 but "Assault Rifle", i mean on older days of OFB there was a mention of certain "5.56mm Assault Rifle" variant of the INSAS with Semi-3 round burst and Full auto modes , for more info refer to '5.56mm Assault Rifle (Fixed Butt).pdf' in attachments,
as for INSAS they, OFB, always mentioned it as "RIFLE 5.56mm INSAS (Fixed Butt)" (or Folable Butt in that config) on their catalog on their website...
but that raises question how did this "5.56mm Assault Rifle" variant of INSAS looked now ? there exist some good enough pics of that one and here they are,
(not sure with this next pic though but judging from fire selector shape that's different from regular 1B ones i believe this one is also "5.56mm Assault Rifle" variant)
So coming back to INSAS Export variant,
my hypothesis, as i said,
This "INSAS Export variant" later became "INSAS Assault Rifle" variant...
and later "INSAS Assault Rifle" variant became bases for INSAS Excalibur and so,
so It could've happened this way, i believe,
=======================================================================
This is all the info i have gained so far regd to INSAS Export variant and some of my own thoughts-hypothesis etc,
now i need some help,
as i mentioned above the pic of INSAS Export variant was taken by certain "Terence 'Terry' John Gander",
i tried to look around and found out...
He's from the United Kingdom, worked as a Defense Journalist for years, was also affiliated with Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst, mostly wrote defense related stuff for IHS Jane's for many years, now mostly retired and lives at this address,
9 Le Bourgage
Alderney
Channel Islands
GY9 3TL
so, my personal request to anybody from the UK here, please please try to be in contact with Mr. Terry Gander and inquire about this particular export variant of the INSAS, if possible please also try to source a complete pic from him
I tried my best to contact him, i mailed to Royal Military Academy but they never responded back,
I also tried to ask my <sensei> on teligram who's into actual defense dealings and stuff, all he informed to me was that, well, Terry is now 83+ years old
(probably trying to say he's retired now and too old to even bother with such petty things etc)...
but i do still want to know, he's the only person i know of who could provide some solid info about this all, and if he kicks the bucket before revealing it all, it'll be buried with him forever...
so please please please anybody from the UK here do try to reach this fella and ask around for info as well as pics he took back in 2000, my very humble request to you
say, whatya say if IA gets their Sterlings upgraded like this...with a muzzle brake plus bottom rail for verticle grip and top rail for optical sight and of course JVPC-esque collapsible buttstock...
www.ar15.com
